Comet raids Kingfisher for marketing director

Comet has poached Kingfisher’s Stephen O’Brien to take up the newly-created post of marketing director.

O’Brien, formerly head of electrical and DIY products at Kingfisher, will have overall responsibility for advertising, merchandising, promotions, corporate communications and new developments, such as retail initiatives. He will be a member of the Comet board.

Chris Rogers, commercial director for white goods, will take on additional responsibility for brown goods and multimedia, or grey goods, since Peter Hopper, commercial director for brown goods, was poached by British Sky Broadcasting last week (MW March 5).

It is thought Hopper will continue to work as a digital development adviser for Comet.

The Comet board has been slimmed down from nine to six. “The changes are part of an overall plan for a faster-growing business now that Comet has successfully completed its three-year recovery programme, ” says chairman and chief executive Eddie Styring.

Leigh Martin, the customer focus director who formerly had overall responsibility for advertising and marketing, has ceased to be a board director, and will report to O’Brien. Stewart Rand, formerly sales director, has also ceased to be a board member, but will take charge of new development and corporate sales.

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